SALEM HISTORICAL COMMISSION
MINUTES
September 3, 2008
A meeting of the Salem Historical Commission was held on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 at 120 Washington Street, Salem, MA. Present were Chairman Diozzi, Ms. Herbert, Ms. Bellin, Ms. Harper, Mr. Reiter, Mr. Hart and Mr. Desrocher.
Salem Common Tot Lot
In continuation of a prior meeting, Sarah Wheeler-Gaddipati, on behalf of Parent’s United’s Tot Lot Committee, presented an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness for replacement of the 25 year old tot lot structures. Also present were Jen Santo and John Ninneman.
Ms. Guy noted that Mr. Reiter cannot vote on this application because he was not present at all prior discussions of this application.
Ms. Santo stated that the framing is metal and that the slides and a few other details are plastic. They proposed to use a combination of wood chips and rubber surfacing. They prefer the color Terracotta for the rubber surfacing, which is similar in color to the wood chips.
Ms. Herbert stated that she liked the Terracotta.
Ms. Diozzi stated that she liked the three color scheme of green (plastic) and brown and tan metal.
Ms. Guy suggested that the towers be in tan and most of the rest of the metal be brown.
Mr. Desrocher made a motion to approve surfacing of tot lot to be wood chips and/or Terracotta rubber surface per sample provided. Plastic materials to be green. Swingset, climbing structure and textured wall to be brown metal. The two play structures’ metal components are to include tan towers (6) with remaining metal pieces to be brown wherever possible and practicable.
Mr. Reiter suggested that having a design in the surfacing, ie. trail, if enough funds are raised.
Ms. Gaddipati stated that if they can afford it, they will come back with a design.
Ms. Harper seconded the motion, all were in favor and the motion so carried. Mr. Reiter abstained from voting.
Ms. Gaddipati stated that they intend to use flush bricks as a border along the perimeter and/or as part of the path to the tot lot. Bricks can be engraved as a fundraising tool. She stated that there would probably be no more than 2 bricks deep along the perimeter. She stated that the benches will be the same as those the city currently uses on the Common and that they may have plaques as a fundraising tool. She stated that they would like to add picnic benches, but did not have a photograph.
Ms. Guy asked if there were any picnic benches currently on the Common.
Mr. Ninneman stated that there is currently one concrete picnic bench.
Ms. Guy stated that adding picnic benches would be essentially introducing a new element to the Common and that the Commission would need to see a proposal.
Ms. Bellin made a motion to approve the border of site and/or pathway to the site to be in flush red brick (2 deep around border) with some or all of the brick to be engraved with sponsor’s message and that any benches installed match city standard benches currently used on the Salem Common. Ms. Herbert seconded the motion, all were in favor and the motion so carried. Mr. Reiter abstained from voting.
17 North Street
In continuation of a previous meeting, through architect David Jaquith, the Elks Association of BPOE submitted an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness to renovate the existing 2 story front of the building and add a new rear addition on the existing footprint in order to convert the building to condominiums. The applicant was not present.
Ms. Herbert made a motion to continue the application to the meeting of September 17, 2008. Ms. Bellin seconded the motion, all were in favor and the motion so carried.
4 Federal Court
Michael Digris and Michele Washburn presented an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness to replace their current 3-tab roof with high end, asphalt shingle that is neither 3-tab, nor architectural.
Mr. Digris stated that they are proposing to use GAF/ELK Grand Slate, which has a lifetime warrantee and is warranteed to 110 mph winds. He provided a sample and stated that they prefer the Bristol Gray color.
Mr. Hart stated that he could tolerate slate or something that looks like slate or wood shingle or something that looks like wood shingle.
Mr. Desrocher stated that he felt the proposed looks like 3-tab.
Ms. Guy stated that when asphalt shingles were initially approved by the Commission, it was not to try to replicate the look of slate or wood, but rather to have a modern material that is financially affordable and that would be unnoticeable on the roof. She stated that this situation is similar to double glaze windows that were not previously approved, with the Commission waiting until technology came up with an acceptable modern window. She added that aluminum gutters are not an historic material, but that the Commission compromised, provided that they were heavy gage.
Ms. Bellin stated that she felt the Welsh Gray was closer to charcoal grey.
Ms. Washburn stated that the Bristol Grey is closer to what is currently on their roof.
Ms. Herbert stated that the Welsh Grey looks a little bluish in the photo.
Ms. Bellin noted that the Welsh Grey has specks of blue in the sample, while the Bristol has specks of brown.
Ms. Herbert made a motion to approve the roof replacement with GAF/Elk Grand Slate asphalt in Bristol Gray. Ms. Harper seconded the motion.
Mr. Hart noted that he has looked a the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, as well as two Preservation Briefs put out by the National Park Service. He stated that it is an experiment, but that he feels the application has come up with a shingle that kind of mimics a slate roof. He stated that he will vote in favor of the proposal.
The motion was voted upon, all were in favor and the motion so carried.
10 Chestnut Street
Marshall Strauss and Elaine Gerdine submitted an application for a Certificate of Non-applicability to repair crown molding as needed around the building exterior, repair gutters & downspouts, repair column on dining room porch and repair trim at the bottom of the front porch.
Mr. Strauss stated that the existing downspouts are metal, that all the visible gutters are wood and the one non-visible gutter is metal.
Mr. Hart noted that wood gutters are harder to maintain.
Ms. Herbert made a motion to approve the application as submitted. Mr. Desrocher seconded the motion, all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Other Business
Ms. Guy stated that she reviewed the courthouse and North/Bridge Street interchange drawings that the Commission reviewed in the past and determined that the two controller units were on the plans provided to the Commission that were dated October, 2006.
There being no further business, Ms. Bellin made a motion to adjourn. Mr. Desrocher seconded the motion, all were in favor and the motion so carried.
Respectfully submitted,
Jane A. Guy
Clerk of the Commission
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